Election '95.

Bensenville Schools Suffer 5th-straight Tax-hike Defeat

Elmhurst Voters Stick With Status Quo In District 205

Bensenville voters defeated for the fifth consecutive time Tuesday a proposal to increase property taxes for schools, raising the prospect of continued budget woes for its educational system.

School Supt. Cesare Calderelli would not say if another round of staff and program cuts is in the offing. "Those decisions have yet to be made," he said.

But after residents defeated another tax-increase bid for Bensenville Elementary School District 2 last spring, the board slashed 17 teaching positions, mostly in art, band and chorus. Extracurricular activities were cut as well.

Voters rejected a 45-cent increase for each $100 of assessed valuation in the district's education fund, which has a $900,000 deficit. That was 15 cents less than in the March referendum proposal, defeated with many residents complaining that the boost would have been too high.

The school board tried a new strategy of asking for a smaller tax raise, but that failed.

"We had a plan in place to financially stabilize the district," Calderelli said. "Our plan would have restored 17 positions, maintained an annual balanced budget, minimized the erosion of the tax cap and allowed investment in supplies, equipment and technology training for staff."

Like other DuPage County school districts, Bensenville has been compelled to live within the state law limiting annual tax-levy increases to 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Last year's cost-of-living increase was 2.7 percent.

Meanwhile, in Elmhurst Unit School District 205, residents decided that the status quo is fine, both in the makeup of the board and the method of electing its members.

Paul DeMichele, a district resident, spearheaded a drive to change the way the board is chosen.

He and other citizens maintained that the board should be elected by seven districts instead of at large to guarantee every section of the community would be represented. They also said that election by individual districts would enable board members to stay in touch with all constituents and represent their interests better.

Opponents contended a geographically elected board would result in factionalism and create competition for funds among different areas. They also said residents would vote for only one board member every four years, instead of either three or four every two years.

Voters decided to stick with the current way of choosing the board. Only in four of 905 Illinois school boards are members elected by districts.

Despite repeated criticisms of the board and School Supt. Joan Raymond during public participation sessions of meetings, District 205 voters returned three incumbents for new four-year terms.

Elected were Patricia Collins, a nursery school director; David Carlquist, an IBM Corp. executive; and David Lindberg, a university professor. They have supported Raymond in most of her recommendations. Newcomer Penelope O'Neill, a design company vice president, was also chosen for the board.

One of the most contested school board races in DuPage County was in Naperville Unit School District 203.

Incumbent Osie Davenport, a quality engineer, was elected for another 4-year term. Also on the new board will be Brian Barnes, a business planning consultant, and Livia McCammon, a homemaker.

A tax-increase proposal in Kaneland Unit School District 302 was a squeaker.

With one precinct left to report, the increase was winning by the paper-thin margin of three votes.